food, glorious food...

Well, as the holiday season is upon us, one thing we're all probably doing alot is eating FOOD! And as I (Amy) was eating lunch with Caroline today, I started thinking that there's alot we can all learn from the way babies eat. (because what else are you going to think about between singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and counting to ten with a 9 month old?) So here's what came out of my "discussion" with Caroline at lunch this afternoon...


First, babies really ENJOY food. They seem to just "get" that it's a glorious gift from God! Watch a baby get ahold of a new taste they like, and the shrills, smiles, kicks, and fun is contagious. I mean, imagine for a second that we were all created to just fill our bellies with the same taste for EVERY meal for our entire lives! Caroline & I talked about how exciting it really is that God gave us SO many types of food to choose from that are pleasing and enjoyable to experience! What a wonderful gift that I rarely stop and thank Him for! (and I guess I'm thinking about this more as Caroline is experiencing more "real" foods from the table for the first time...)


Second, babies take time with their food and EXPERIENCE it. They don't just "scarf" it down, and mealtime isn't a rushed necessity or a dreaded chore to count every little last calorie. No, babies are SO into the food that they take the time to touch it, smash it, hold it high in the air, shake it around, hit it together with OTHER pieces of food in both hands, and the always-a-classic drop it on the floor. :) Now I'm not saying that adults should try those things, (it'd look a little funny, wouldn't it?) but what if WE slowed down and took a little time to really savor this gift of taste?


And third, babies don't overeat. As messy as it gets sometimes, doctors tell us now that you can't overfeed a baby-- they know exactly how much they need to be full and they'll let you know when they're finished eating. (or puke it up later, I suppose!) But how many times do I ignore that feeling of "full" and keep going?


So there you have it... just some of my random thoughts about God's goodness to us in the little things. So this holiday season, enjoy His good gifts to us, "shovel it in!"... and be thankful. :)